


The Life We Could Have Had

by akatsukiis



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-17
Updated: 2021-02-17
Packaged: 2021-03-12 03:20:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 560
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29503314
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/akatsukiis/pseuds/akatsukiis
Summary: "And as all the leaves rustle above usAnd as all the dirt covers our skinRest your head onto my chestI'll tell you stories of the life we could have had"- "The Life We Could Have Had," Pim Stones[Spoilers for No Regrets, AOT seasons 3 & 4, and Chapter 132 of the manga]
Relationships: Levi Ackerman/Erwin Smith
Kudos: 22





	The Life We Could Have Had

Clouds crossed the afternoon sun. Long grasses, dappled by the shadows of blooming trees, danced to the rhythm of the wind’s melancholic melody and tickled the fingers of the fallen soldier lying amongst them. The warrior, once exalted as humanity’s greatest, slowly opened his eyes. It took him less than a second to realize he was in unfamiliar territory, and he jumped to attention. The world was wide, open, and seemingly unoccupied by anyone else. Unnerved, he reached his hand instinctively to his side, but nothing was there. Dressed in simple attire, he stood beside the tree he awoke underneath, alone.

“At ease, soldier.” Came a familiar voice from behind him.

He whipped around. A tall, broad, blonde-haired man stood before him.

“Levi.” The man smiled. “I’ve been waiting for you.” He extended his hand towards the soldier. Levi stepped hesitantly forward.

“Erwin.” He gasped.

Levi let his fingers brush against the man’s palm before taking his hand, making sure he was truly real - he had seen Erwin many times in his dreams, but whenever he touched him, he always slipped from his grasp. As Erwin’s fingers wrapped around his hand, an expression of understanding crossed Levi’s face, and he followed him to the shade. Erwin, leaning against the trunk of the tree, slid to the ground, and Levi followed suit, sitting cross-legged beside him. Not a word was said between them for a while; they simply sat in each other’s company. Levi let his shoulders relax and slowly lifted his head to meet Erwin’s gaze.

“Is this really the end?”

The commander, with glistening eyes as blue as the sea, gazed at Levi with nothing but love.

“Yes. And no.”

The leaves rustled above them. Erwin reached his arm behind Levi, gently placing his hand upon his waist. At first the captain froze, but he let himself relax into the commander’s touch, and, slowly, let his head rest upon Erwin’s chest.

“So, what is this?” Levi asked.

“The life we could have had.” Erwin replied, gazing out onto the horizon. “Rumor has it that, here, we can see the sea.”

Levi choked back a grin. “Already seen it.”

Erwin opened his mouth to respond, but instead let out a soft chuckle. Of course he had, Armin wouldn’t have let them hear the end of it otherwise. They remained in silence. Though a question pervaded in Levi’s mind, he told himself to save it; right now, Erwin’s company was enough, and it always would be. Levi was at peace, and, as his eyelids drooped, he remained unaware of the three figures climbing the hill in front of them. He almost drifted off to sleep when a loud cry startled him.

_“LEEEEEEEEVVVVVVIIIIIIIII!”_

He jolted upright. Erwin pointed to the scene ahead. One of the figures before him, glasses glinting in the sun, smiled broadly. Beside them, a boy stood with his hands on his hips, and, slightly ahead of her comrades, a girl jumped up and down.

“Aniki!” She called, waving her arms in the air. “We’ve waited an eternity for you!” She turned and tugged at the boy’s sleeve. “That was a cool line, wasn’t it? Wasn’t it!?” She grinned broadly.

Erwin squeezed Levi in reassurance, and, taking his hand, pulled him up to his feet and pushed him toward his friends.

For the first time in years, Levi smiled.


End file.
